Famed MMA coach Firas Zahabi was shocked to learn of the UFC’s imminent split with the United States Anti-Doping Agency.
Last month, USADA CEO Travis Tygart revealed that the two organizations would no longer work together come January 1, 2024, ending an eight-year partnership. At the center of the bitter split was Irish megastar Conor McGregor, whose long-awaited return to the Octagon put a strain on the relationship between the UFC and USADA, making it “untenable” according to Tygart.
The news came completely out of left field and caused quite a stir in the MMA community with coaches, fighters, and fans concerned that without a third party to handle testing duties, the UFC could essentially make up their own rules and find ways around them at will.